What does one see?

Mirror, Mirror

What one sees in self someone else may see differently.

Are we as Christians, believers of Jesus Christ, the son of the almighty God similar to the Pharisees? Are we showy on the outside? How do people see you?

Pharisees:  are from the Jewish sect, believed in life after death, the resurrection, believed angels and demons exist, and that keeping the law is the way to God. (CARM, 2011)

These people were showy on the outside, new the law very well and were the most influential on the people. But because they knew the law did the abide by them?

     Matthew 23:2-4  "The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat. So you must obey them and do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. They tie up heavy loads and put them on men's shoulder, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them."

Matthew 23:5  "Everything they do is done for men to see:"

Matthew 23:13-14  "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men's faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to."

Matthew 23:15  "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are."

We are teachers of the law for we are God's children. Jesus Christ gave us the power to spread the "good news" but do we? How much are we like the Pharisees? Do we practise what we preach? Do we not help those that need help? Do we let people see that we are Christians on the outside, but what about the inside? Do we help Satan by not telling people about Christ, just keeping to ourselves? When a  person comes to Christ do we not help them to further their relationship with Christ?

I am guilty of doing some of these things, I will confess to that. I am not an expert on God's wonderful Words but I know some of His words. You don't have to be an expert like the Pharisees, preachers, etc... but we must know enough to tell others.  Jesus gave us the Holy Spirit to help us do His will, His work. Do we fall on that?

Who did Jesus sit and eat with?

Luke 15:1-2  Now the tax collectors and "sinners" were all gathering around to hear him. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them."

Do we really welcome sinners? Do we really except them for who they really are? Do we associate with those that are different from ourselves? Do we care enough to spread the "word" in to our communities? Do we treat other Christians in the same manner?

Jesus the son of God was treated very harshly? How harshly do we treat others, sinners and Christians alike? Are we like those of Jesus' day?

Luke 18:32  "He will be handed over to the Gentiles. They will mock him, insult him, spit on him, flog him and kill him."

When was the last time you looked in the mirror? What did you see? I myself don't always see a pretty person, but one who needs Jesus everyday, one who needs to be in His words, and one who needs to be the same on the inside as well as the outside. It is work to be Christ like but it is not hard to reach out to sinners and our fellow Christian family.

"Forgive me Lord for I have failed you."